Device for cleaning pipe threads



Dec- 81953 R. R. cRooKsToN x-:T A1. 2,661,494

DEVICE FOR CLEANING PIPE THREADS Filed Sept. 17, 1951 5 Sheets-Sheet l |21 1 mi 5l n I l [30 Il' l, I4 Il --2/ LL 9o IEE 76 14o /75 4 x n :gl 40 r u# 80 8l di;

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INVENTORS. v `obe'r R. Crookston, F G.. BY Stan/ey C. Brown,

Dec. 8, 1953 R. R. cRoKsToN ET Al. 2,651,494

DEVICE FOR CLEANING PIPE THREADS 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Sept. 17, 1951 Robert R. Crookson,V By Stan/ey C. Brown, dahd,

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DEVICE FOR CLEANING PIPE THREADS Filed Sept. 17, 1951 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 r i 'l i u /3 /30 f K i x l 40 x 1 X l 4l 75 l b 1 .I l f/ `11 l I I JWN luLLLm-I. 1 u u l In l; l/ 1)/ i1 I 1 1| L lOl x l2 m #www1-ing W l 1 l: l I6 l5 p g. L??

H A v 2O um l ZI/,ff/ ll l -22 INVENTORS. Robert R. Crookston, By Stan/ey C. Brown.

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Dec. 8, 1953 R. R, cRooKsToN ET A1. 2,661,494

DEVICE FOR CLEANING PIPE THREADS Filed Sept. 17, 1951 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 All? SUPPLY SOL VENT HROTTLE WIRE BRUS H /N VENTORS.

Rober RCroo/rs fon, Stan/ey C. Brown, s Y

GII/DE Dec. 8, 1953 Filed Sept. 17, 1951 R. R. CROOKSTON ET AL DEVICE FOR CLEANING PIPE THREADS 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 F IG. l2.

INVENTORS. Robert R. Crookston, By Stanley C. Brown,

?atented Dec. d, 1953 UNITED STATES ETENT FFICE DEVICE FOR CLEANING PIPE THREADS Robert R. Crookston and Stanley C. Brown,

Houston, Tex., assignors, by mesne assignments, to Standard Oil Development Company, Elizabeth, N. J., a corporation of Delaware Application September 17, 1951, Serial No. 246,892

1li Claims. l

The present invention is directed to a device for cleaning pipe threads. More particularly, the apparatus is directed to a device for removing foreign materials from pipe threads and the like.

The present invention will be briefly described as involving a device ior cleaning pipe threads which comprises an elongated body member which has a power means arranged in the body member. The body member has means attached thereto for transmitting energy to the power means. On one end of the body member is arranged a housing which may be arranged laterally thereto, suoli as in perpendicular relationship. A peripheral scouring member, such as a wire brush having a conical or cylindrical shape, is rotatably mounted on the housing. A power transmission means is arranged in the housing operatively connecting the power means with the scouring means to allow the latter to be rotated on operation of the power means. A guide means is also rotatably mounted on the housing spaced away from the periphery of the scouring means. Means are also arranged in the housing operatively connected to the power transmission means for rotating the guide means circumierentially to the scouring means in an opposite direction thereto and at a velocity substantially less than the velocity of rotation of the scouring means.

The apparatus of the present invention is provided with a conduit which may be connected to a source of high pressure fluid which may be employed to supply energy to operate the power means. connected to suitable conduits leading to the scouring means and coaxially therewith to allow discharge of duid radially from the scouring means. The high pressure fluid employed to energize the power means is preferably a gasiform uid and a source of this iiuid may also be discharged radially from the scouring means. Liquid may also be supplied to the scouring means to allow cleaning of the pipe threads with the liquid as well as abrasion thereof by the scouring means.

The apparatus vof the present invention is preferably equipped with gripping means on each end thereof to allow the operator to manipulate it conveniently. The apparatus of the present invention is also provided with valve means for controlling the ow of fluid to the power means and to the scouring means.

The invention will be further illustrated by reference to the drawing in which The high pressure iuid may also be Fig. 1 is a sectional view, partly in elevation, of a portion of the apparatus of the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a sectional view, but drawn to a smaller scale, of the remainder of the device shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a view of the device of Fig. 1 but taken at right angles to the view of Fig. l with part in elevation and part in section;

Fig. 4 is a view taken along the line li-d of Fig. l; v

Fig. 5 is a detail sectional view showing the valve arrangement of the present invention;

Fig. 6 is detail View of the throttle valve of the present invention;

Fig. 7 is a View taken along line 'l-i of Fig. 2;

Fig. 8 is a View partly in section of a portion of the device of the present invention;

Fig. 9 is a perspective view of the apparatus of the present invention;

Fig. l0 illustrates an application of the apparatus in cleaning external pipe threads with the pipe in a vertical position;

Fig. 11 is an illustration of the operation of the apparatus in cleaning internal pipe threads with the pipe in a vertical position; and

Fig. 12 is a View of the application of the device for cleaning external pipe threads with the pipe in a horizontal position.

Referring now to the drawing and particularly to Figs. 1, 2 and 3, numeral il designates an elongated body member on which is arranged adjacent one end thereof a housing I2. Rotatably mounted on housing l2 is a scouring member I3, such as a wire brush, tapered from a smaller to a larger diameter from top to bottom. The scouring member i3 is mounted on a shaft I4 which is connected through gears it and i5 to a shaft il which, in turn, is connected by coupling I3 to a fluid driven motor i3. The shaft lli rotates in the bearing 2t and is provided with an internal passageway 2i which communicates with valves 22 shown more clearly in Fig. 3. Valve 22 comprises a body member 23 and is arranged to be opened by pressure exerted on pin 24. Pressure exerted on pin 2Q causes the valve member 25 to unseat allowing passage of fluid through passageways 2t and 2l, as will be described further, to passageway 2l. The valve 22 is provided with a spring 23 which bears against the shoulder 29 of pin 24 and against an inner surface of body 23. The spring 23 holds the valve ordinarily in a closed position urging the pin 2 to the left. Y

Rotatably mounted on the housing I2 is an The scouring means i3 may be composed of a plurality of wire brushes 59 spaced apart from each other by spacers 5|. The scouring means I3 as mentioned before is mounted on shaft Ill which has an inner passageway 2i through which iiuid may be introduced and discharged radially from the scouring means I3 through discharge ports 52. The scouring means |3 is held on shaft I4 by a lock nut 53 and is designed to rotate freely on bearing 56|. A cap 5E covers thebearing 54 as shown.

Arranged in the housing IZ is a power `transmission means which transmits power from the power means if) through shaft Il and gears I5 and IG to the scouring means i3 and the guide means liil. This power transmission means includes a series of ring and planetary gears. A gear 56 is arranged on the shaft It and meshes with planetary gears SI and 62 which are designed to rotate in a ring gear t3. Planetary gears 6| and 52 are mounted on trunnions as and 65, respectively. Arranged above and below gears 6| and 62 are rollers 56 and Attached to roller 66 is an eccentric bushing Sii which is connected to a. precession gear G9 which is arranged to operate in ring gear 'It which is fixed in the housing i2. Arranged in recesses 'II of gear |29 are buttons 'i2 which are adapted to t into and work in recesses I3 of a rotatable member "IIL Member 'ifi is rotatably mounted in housing i2 by bearing ring 'Iii' which is held in place by set screw il. Member 'it is also rotatably mounted on shaft iii as these two units are caused to rotate in opposite directions. Roller support member di is adjustably attached to the upper portion of member ifi by member |t which is aixed to member 'It by set screws |62. Attached to member its by set screw i6 is a plate or support member I which carries affixed to its outer edge a cylindrical guard member |30.

The shaft Iii and the power transmission means including the several ring and planetary gears are designed to rotate freely by means of bearings 8|), 8|, 82, 33 and Sli. Likewise, the shaft I'I rotates in bearing 85, access thereto being had by cap nut 35.

To provide a seal for the power transmission means in housing I2 a first sealing element 953 seals the interior of housing i2 from debris loosened by the scouring means i3 and maintains oil in the housing i2. A second sealing means 9| provides a seal for the shaft Il. The shaft Il' is also provided with a bearing 92.

The elongated body member is provided at one end with a horizontal gripping means or handle |03. Pivotally attached tohousing I2 is a second gripping means or handle I QI. Aixed to the lower end of gripping means Ii is a pair of horizontally extending ears IilI which bear against the ends of pins 2Q of valve member 22. Rotation of member IElI to the right or left causes either of valves 22 to open, allowing passage of fluid therethrough. Adjacent the first gripping means it@ is a control valve |02 which ,serves to admit air to the power means I9 through 'type well-known to the art.

4 conduit |83. The valve means |92 is of the pushbutton type and is shown in detail in Fig. 6.

Referring to Fig. 6 it will be seen that a conduit IEM introduces gasiform uid to the valve Ii2 and by pressing the member |515 downward the gasiform fluid in conduit IM under pressure is allowed to pass through the body of the valve |62 into passageway |63 and thence tothe motor E9 which is a fluid driven motor of the vane Attached to the end of gripping means |00 is a iirst conduit or base member il@ which connects to valve |92 through passageway Hill and hence to passageway |63 and motor |91. Passageway lill.i is also uidly connected to passageway |34 which is connected to one of valves 22 through conduit I I.

The gasiform fluid introduced through conduit HB serves to operate motor I@ and also to provide a gasiiorm uid to be discharged from scouring means i3 by ports 52 in shaft Iii. A second conduit |25 attached to gripping means introduces a hydrocarbon solvent into a passageway |2| which communicates by way or" conduit I2 I with one of valves 22 which optionally allows solvent to be discharged from the ports 52 in shaft i4.

The scouring means I3 is surrounded by a guard |30 which is provided with a window ISI which allows the guide means di) to be expanded outwardly, will be described, to allow cleaning oi' various sizes of pipe threads. This guard means is attached to plate 'I5 and is designed to rotate therewith and with the guide means Mi.

Referring now to Fig. 8, the supporting member ii is attached to a plate member Mii which defines an opening |i| through which the shaft iii and member 'Iii project. This plate It@ isl held against the member It by set screws It?. `Projecting through the plate |45 are pins |63 which are threadably connected to the support member Ill. Arranged between the inset portions of plate lil and surrounding pins |43 are springs |135 which when depressed by bushing |46 allows the plate member ci and the guide member it to be swung outwardly.

The apparatus of the present invention operates in the following manner. A gasiform iuid, such as air, is introduced from a source of pressure through conduit Hi! into conduit Ifi which, on opening valve |02, allows the gasiform fluid to be introduced into fiuid driven motor |9 which causes shaft Il to rotate and, likewise, causes shaft ifi through gears I5 and U5 to rotate at a high speed. Through the series of gears 68, 6|, E2, 69 and IG rotation in an opposite direction and at a reduced speed is transmitted to guide member d@ and to guard S which allows these two elements to rotate circumferentially to the scouring member i3 and at a much reduced speed. For example, the scouring member |3 may rotate at 6000 R. P. M. while the guide member iii and the guard member i3d may rotate at 50 R. P. M. The device prior to energizing may be placed in contact with a vertically arranged pipe I@ with the guide member It inside the pipe as is shown in Fig. l0 with the scouring means i3 held against the pipe threads, as shown, which allows .the threads to be cleaned.

In Fig. 1l the operator is cleaning the-internal threads of a vertically held pipe ISI with lthe guide member et on the exterior thereof while the scouring member I3 is cleaning the internal threads.

In Fig. l2 the device is being employedto .clean the external threads of a horizontal pipe ISE.

While the invention has been described and illustrated with particular reference to employment of a fluid operated motor, it is to be understood that the power means may be electrically driven. It is preferred, however, to use an air operated motor since the air may serve to drive the motor as well as to discharge from the scouring means to aid invremoving debris from the work area.

The nature and objects of the present invention having been completely described and illustrated, what we wish to claim as new and useful and to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A device for cleaning pipe threads which comprises, in combination, anelongated body member, power means arranged in said body member, means for transmitting energy to said power means, a housing arranged on said body member adjacent one end of said body member, a scouring member for cleaning a peripheral surface rotatably mounted on said housing, power transmission means arranged in said housing operatively connecting said power means and said scouring means for rotating said scouring means, guide means revolvably mounted on said housing for revolution circumferentially of the periphery of said scouring means, and means arranged in said housing operatively connected to said power transmission means for revolving said guide means circumferentially of said scouring means.

2. A device for cleaning pipe threads which comprises, in combination, an elongated body member, fluid driven power means arranged in said body member, means for introducing fluid under pressure to said powerV means, a housing arranged on said body member adjacent one end of said body member, a scouring member for cleaning a peripheral surface rotatably mounted on said housing, power transmission means arranged in said housing operatively connecting said power means and said scouring means for rotating said scouring means, guide means revolvably mounted on said housing for revolution circumferentially of the periphery of said scouring means, and means arranged in said housing for revolving said guide means circumferentially or said scouring means.

3. A device for cleaning pipe threads which comprises, in combination, an elongated body member, fluid driven power means arranged in said body member, means for introducing fluid under pressure to said power means, a housing arraneedicn said body member adjacent and in lateral relationship to one end ofsaid elongated body member, a scouring member for cleaning a peripheral surface rotatably mounted on said housing, power transmission means arranged in said housingV operatively connecting said power means and said scouring means for rotating said scouring means, guide means revolvably mounted on said housing for revolution circumferentially of the periphery of said scouring means, and means arranged in said housing operatively connected to said power transmission means for revolving said guide means circumferentially of said scouring means.

4l. A device for cleaning pipe threads which comprises, in combination, an elongated body member, fluid driven power means arranged in said body member, means for introducing iiuid under pressure to said power means, a housing arranged on said body member adjacent to and in perpendicular relationship to one end of said elongated body member, a scouring member for cleaning a peripheral surface rotatably mounted on said housing, power transmission means arranged in said housing operatively connecting said power means and said scouring means for rotating said scouring means, guide means revolvably mounted on said housing for revolution circumferentially of the periphery cf said scouring means, and means arranged in said housing operatively connected to said power transmission means for revolving said guide means circumferentially of said scouring means.

5. A device for cleaning pipe threads which comprises, in combination, an elongated body member, fluid driven power means arranged in said body member, means for introducing fluid under pressure to said power means, a housing arranged on said body member adjacent and in perpendicular relationship to one end of said elongated body member, a scouring member for cleaning a peripheral surface rotatably mounted on said housing, power transmission means arranged in said housing operatively connecting said power means and said scouring means for rotating said scouring means, guide means revolvably mounted on said housing for revolution circumferentially of the periphery of said scouring means, and means arranged in said housing operatively connected to said power transmission means for revolving said guide means circumierentially of said scouring means.

6. A device for cleaning pipe threads which comprises, in combination, an elongated body member, nuid driven power means arranged in said body member, means for introducing fluid under pressure to said power means, a housing arranged on said body member adjacent and in perpendicular relationship to one end of said elongated body member, a scouring member for cleaning a peripheral surface rotatably mounted on said housing, power transmission means arranged in said housing operatively connecting said power means and said scouring means for rotating said scouring means, guide means revolvably mounted on said housing for revolution circumferentially of the periphery of said scouring means, means arranged in said housing operatively connected to said power transmission means for revolving said guide means circumferentially of said scouring means, and means for discharging nuid under pressure radially from said scouring means.

7. Apparatus in accordance with claim 6 in which the means for discharging i'iuid under pressure radially from said scouring means is arranged coaxially with said scouring means.

8. A device for cleaning pipe threads which comprises, in combination, an elongated body member, nuid driven power means arranged in said body member, means for introducing fluid under pressure to said power means, valve means arranged in a conduit connected to said power means for controlling the now of said nuid to said power means, a housing arranged on said elongated body member adjacent and in lateral relationship to one end of said elongated body member, a scouring member for cleaning a peripheral surface rotatably mounted on said housing, power transmission means arranged in said housing operatively connecting said power means and said scouring means for rotating said scouring means, guide means revolvably mounted on said housing for revolution circumferentially of the periphery of said scouring means, means arranged in said housing operatively connected to said power transmission means for revolving said guide means circumlerentially of said scouring means, means for discharging fluid radially from said scouring means arrangedcoaxially with said scouring means, at least a conduit connected. to said means for discharging nuid from said scouring means, and valve means forV controlling the discharge of uid from said scouring means.

9. A device for cleaning threads `which, cornprises, in combination, an elongated body-:member, nuid driven power means arranged in said body member, means for introducing fluid under pressure to said power means, a. housing arranged in said body member adjacent and in lateral relationship to a first end of saidelongated body member, a scouring member for cleaning a peripheral surface rotatably mounted on said housing, power transmission means arranged in said housing operativelyv connecting said power means and said scouring means for rotating ysaid scouring means, guide means revolvably mounted on said housing for revolution circumferentially of the periphery of said scouring. means, means arranged in said housing operatively connected -to said power transmission means .for revolving said guide means circuniierentially of said scouring means, and gripping means on the nrst end and a second end of said elongated body member.

l0. A device for cleaning pipevthreads which comprises, in combination, an elongated body member, fluid driven power means arranged in said body member, means for intro-:luci iuid under pressure to 4saidV power means, a housing arranged on said body member adjacent and in lateral relationship to a first endoi said clon gated body member, a scouring member for cleaning a peripheral surface rotatably mounted on said housing, power transmission means arn ranged in said housing operatively connecting said power means and said scouring means for rotating said scouring means, guide means revolvably mounted on said housing for revolution circurnferentially of the periphery oi said scourn ing means, means arranged on said housing operatively connecting to said power transmission means for revolving said guide means circun ferentially of said scouring means, means for discharging fluid under pressure radially from said scouring means, and gripping means arranged on the rst and a second end oi said elongated body member.

l1. A device in accordance with claim lo in which the scouring means is a wire brush.

12. A device for cleaning pipe threads which comprises, in combination, an elongated body member, fluid driven power means arranged in 8 -means and said scouring means for rotating said scouring means, a guide means and a guard means. revolvably mounted on said housing for revolution circumferentially of the periphery oi' said scouring means, said guard means substantially surrounding said scouring means, means arranged on said housing operatively connecting to said power transmission means for revolving said guide means and guard means circumferentially of said scouring means, means for discharging fluid under pressure radially from said scouring means, and gripping means arranged on the rst and a second end of said elongated body member.

13. A device for cleaning pipe threads which comprises, in combination, an elongated body member,.1iuid driven power means arranged in said body member, means for introducing fluid under pressure to said power means, a housing arranged on said body member adjacent and in lateral relationship to a first end of said elon gated body member, a scouring member for cleaning a peripheral surface rotatably mounted on said housing, power transmission means arranged in said housing operatively connecting said power means and said scouring means for rotating said scouring means, guide means revolvably mounted onisaid housing for revolution rd'rcuinierentially of the periphery of said scouring means, guard means revolvably mounted on said housing for revolution circumferentially of the periphery of said scouring means provided with an opening for engaging said threads with said scouring means and adapted to revolve with said guide means, means arranged on said housing operatively connecting to said power transmission means for revolving said guide means and guard means circumferentially of said scouring means, means for discharging fluid under pressure radially from said scouring means, and gripping means arranged on the first and a second end of said elongated body member.

14. A device for cleaning pipe threads which comprises, in combination, a frame assembly, a scouring member for cleaning a peripheral surface rotatably mounted on said frame assembly, guide means revolvably mounted on said frame assembly for revolution circumferentially of the periphery of said scouring means, power means, and power transmission means carried by said frame assembly operatively connecting said power means with said scouring means and guide means for rotating said scouring means and for revolving said guide means circumferentially of said scouringmeans.

ROBERT R. CROOKSTON. STANLEY C. BROWN.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,305,079 Heldenbrand Dec. l5, 1942 

